The agent for Ryan Kesler believes his client's broken right foot was a "fluke" injury from blocking a shot and it was "non-preventable" because players are "going to block shots eight times out of 10." (Getty Images via National Hockey League).

It wasn’t surprising Ryan Kesler played six games before a CT (Computed Tomography) scan Wednesday morning confirmed the Vancouver Canucks centre had a broken right foot and will be sidelined four to six weeks. The former Selke Trophy winner doesn’t like to talk about injuries and doesn’t use them as a crutch, although wrist, shoulder, hip and hand surgeries are significant setbacks. Did Kesler not know he was probably injured after blocking a shot on Feb. 15 against Dallas, even though two subsequent x-rays were negative?

“He didn’t want to know and it’s typical Kes — he’s living in denial about his injuries,” Kesler’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, told the TEAM 1040 on Thursday. “They (Canucks) were aware there was an incident in the first game and they tried to get through it. But we don’t know what he was going through with the pain and the swelling. But he’ll be back.”

In the interim, the Canucks have recalled Andrew Ebbett from the Chicago Wolves and there will be a heightened level of interest in how lines will be formed at practice Friday. Losing Aaron Volpatti to the Washington Capitals on a waiver-wire claim affects the fourth line because Steve Pinizzotto isn’t in NHL game shape after injuring his groin Nov. 24 and has yet to play at game at this level. Alex Burrows played centre between Chris Higgins and Jannik Hansen when Kesler was rehabbing offseason wrist and shoulder surgeries, but that upsets the recent chemistry of the top line. Ebbett could slide into the second-line role or he might be better on the fourth line and give Jordan Schroeder or Maxim Lapierre a shot to move up. Of course, trading Roberto Luongo is an option for help down the middle, but the leverage pendulum has swung the other way again with Kesler’s injury. And the Canucks play 16 games in 30 days in March — including a pair of back-to-backs — so Cory Schneider and Luongo won’t sit for long. Or get rusty.

Meanwhile, Overhardt said his client is satisfied in the manner the Canucks have handled his injuries. The two offseason procedures on the left side of Kesler’s body produced an imbalance and an extended timeline for his return. Overhardt said in mid-December that it would be “several months” before the centre returned which was debated. He came back two months later.

“He’s had several different injuries and they (Canucks) have a very competent staff and that’s not an issue,” said the agent. “It’s important to get a second opinion and you just don’t know when you’re rehabbing and the surgeries compounded him getting back.”

Kesler collected his $5 million US salary during the lockout because he was injured at the time of the Sept. 15 work stoppage. Which, of course, led to some speculation that the centre was taking his time coming back in order to collect cheques.

“He wasn’t milking it,” stressed Overhardt. “The process to come back and play in the NHL — and with Ryan having certain expectations of himself — that’s where he needs to be before he steps on the ice. It was smart to be cautious. His skating may have looked great but dealing with the shoulder and wrist, it was getting to the point where he was never going to be 100 per cent less than 12 months out from the surgeries.”

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